Thursday, May 31, 2012

Copycat

I haven’t run across a
lot of store-bought cookies that I would actually pay money for, with the
exception of a particular brand of ginger thins (no idea what the name is) that
I’ll snag on occasion. But the other
night I was out to dinner, and the crème brulée I had for dessert was
accompanied by 3 shortbread-like ginger cookies that were beyond amazing, and I
have since become mildly obsessed with making my own crispy ginger cookies.

I see the makings of
an odyssey of epic proportions ahead.

And while I was aiming
for a shortbread-like cookie similar to what I had at the restaurant, my first
endeavor ended up an exact replica of those ginger thins I love so much.

Keep in mind when
baking these that they spread a lot.I
discovered that a mound of dough about the size of a cherry is a good size, but you could
go smaller and still have a decent-sized cookie.And I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many total the batch will
make. First off, I was trying so many
different sizes that I couldn’t get a consistent count.And somehow the dough and finished cookies
kept disappearing.

Also, be sure to allow
these to cool completely before stacking them (carefully) in an airtight
container, or they will lose some of that delightful crispiness.

Ginger Thins

12 Tbs (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 ½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp sea salt

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking
soda

Turbinado sugar (or use sugar in the
raw)

Preheat to 350°.Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment
paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine
the butter and sugar.Using a paddle
attachment, beat until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes.Add the egg and molasses.Continue to beat another 2 to 3 minutes.Add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt and
stir to combine.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and then
add the flour and baking soda.Stir
slowly, just until combined. Measure teaspoon sized balls and place on cookie
sheet, giving a couple of inches in between cookies to allow for spreading.
Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until they have spread, the
surface has cracked, and they are firm to the touch. Remove to racks and allow
to cool completely. Store in an airtight
container using wax paper or parchment in between stacks.

About Me

No journeys of self-discovery here. I pretty much know who I am. No-nonsense (and sometimes brutally honest), I believe in eking everything I can out of this existence.
I’m a hard-core multi-tasker. The word ‘serene’ would never be used to describe me.
I love to create. And whether it’s a character, a painting, or a four-course meal, I pour myself into everything I do.
Welcome to my little corner of the world.
Curtain up.